


Out

by nerdypipsqueak



Series: Requests, drabbles, short stories [60]
Category: Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Coming Out, Established Relationship, Interviews, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:41:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22074910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdypipsqueak/pseuds/nerdypipsqueak
Summary: Feisal and Ned make an announcement.Set in the Modern Royalty AU Nobody Asked For.Written (belatedly) for the 2019 Advent Ficlet Challenge. Prompt: and to all a good night.
Relationships: Faisal I of Iraq/T. E. Lawrence
Series: Requests, drabbles, short stories [60]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1391215
Comments: 12
Kudos: 10
Collections: 2019 Advent Ficlet Challenge





	Out

**Author's Note:**

> A huge thank you to Christina_marie for the idea for the engagement photo!

Here they are, our terrific trio: Davies, Thomas and Coster. Two journalists and a photographer who approached us themselves with the offer of an exclusive, tell-all, "clear the air" interview. The internet has already made its mind up (and supports us whole-heartedly) but the traditional media? They can't see what's right in front of them.

I've met Mr Thomas before, he interviewed my father on a number of occasions. I may not like him, he's a bit full of himself but he takes his job seriously. Miss Davies on the other hand, I like her very much. I've seen her documentaries and interviews, she does not take nonsense kindly. She's exactly the type of journalist we need. She reminds me of Ned: strong, outspoken, unafraid to stand up for what she believes in.

"So." Miss Davies smiles politely. "I'm going to ask my questions, then Mr Thomas is going to ask his questions and then Mr Coster is going to take some pictures. Does that sound like a plan?"

I nod, I really want to get started before one of us gets too nervous and chickens out. Ned squeezes my hand. He looks calm but I can feel his leg shaking under the table.

"Fantastic. Your highness, Mr Lawrence, you made your first public appearance together two years ago, at Prince Ali's wedding. That appearance, and, I must add, every subsequent one, have caused massive speculation regarding the nature of your relationship. Speculation that, I gather, you would like to put an end to."

"That is correct."

"How long have you known each other?"

"Three years. We met at a function in Amman, started talking. I invited Ned to visit my camel stables, an invitation which he took me upon..."

"Expecting to be shown the stables and maybe allowed to ride one of the camels." Ned picks up the story. "I was not expecting to be fed, watered and challenged to a race."

"You like a challenge." I tease, briefly forgetting where we are and what we are doing.

"Your highness, did your relocation to London have anything to do with Mr Lawrence?"

"Yes. We'd been involved for a few months at that point, Ned's employment with the British Embassy had come to an end and he was due to return to England. We were already virtually living together. Moving in full-time was just the next step."

"So is it safe to say that you and Mr Lawrence are in a long-term relationship?"

"Yes, we are in a relationship and we became engaged during our recent trip to Amman."

"Oh?" Miss Davies's eyebrows shoot all the way up into her hairline. "Wold you like to tell us a little bit about the proposal?"

"It was a bit of a Beauty and the Beast moment." Ned smiles. "I was in the palace library, looking for some light reading when Feisal came running in. He lifted me off the ladder, twirled me around like I weighed nothing and then I think he tried to pop the question but what came out was a mixture of laughter and screaming so he had to put me down and try again."

"I did ask again once I caught my breath." I take over. "And Ned said yes. Then we told my father and notified the rest of the family."

"Wasn't there any backlash?"

"A few more distant family members expressed their disapproval, as did the official photographer so for the time being we don't have any engagement photos."

"I'd be more than happy to assist with that if you wish, sir." Mr Coster offers.

"I think we'd like that."

"Lovely." Miss Davies gives him a pointed look. "Your highness, coming out is a rather bold move..."

"If coming out is a bold move for someone like me, who comes from a very privileged background then how bold must it be for a young man or woman from a more conservative, less accepting family? Those kids think they're all alone, that they're freaks. I want them to see that there's nothing wrong with them. I want to create a world that's safe for them to live in."

"Some would call your approach revolutionary."

"Love is love, Miss Davies. And what happens between consenting adults should be their business and no one else's. It's high time we understood that."

"Aren't you worried about putting yourself and your partner at risk?"

"At risk of what exactly? Assassination? The risk is always there and I'd prefer to die for something I believe in rather than simply because I was born a prince."

"Mr Lawrence, what is your opinion?"

"I agree with Feisal. The risk of being assassinated is always there, regardless of our personal choices."

"I can understand that." Miss Davies nods approvingly, scribbling in her notebook. She has this peculiar ability to write without looking at what she's writing. It must be some kind of shorthand.

"Your highness." Mr Thomas starts. "We've heard Mr Lawrence's side of the engagement story but I'm sure our readers would like to hear yours."

"There's not that much to add." I shift in my chair to face him. "My father gave me a ring from his own treasury and told me not to come back until Ned had given me an answer."

"Can you please tell us a bit about the ring?"

"Is it relevant?" Ned raises an eyebrow. "Do you ask all royal fiances about their engagement rings?"

"That's what our readers are interested in."

"Mr Thomas, you're with CNN, am I right?"

"Yes." Miss Davies interjects. "Mr Thomas is with CNN, I'm an independent journalist, the interview is for the Guardian."

"Good." Ned's smile is dripping with poison. "For a minute I thought we were being interviewed by the Sun."

"For God's sake, Lowie." Miss Davies hisses under her breath. "I apologize."

"About the Sun." Mr Thomas carries on, unperturbed. "They published a number of quite questionable articles about yourself and your relationship with Prince Feisal."

"Those articles are being handled by our lawyers. I refuse to make any further comment on the matter."

"Fair enough. Our readers would really like to know who you actually are, Mr Lawrence. The British Embassy in Amman wasn't very forthcoming."

"I was born in Wales, raised in Oxford. I trained as an archaeologist and worked for the British Museum for a few years."

"And then you went to work at the Embassy, is that right?"

"Yes." Ned sits back, relaxed. I feel myself relaxing too. We're in safe territory again.

The engagement photo is beautiful: Ned, dressed in a white embroidered thawb and light blue bisht, sitting in a Louis XV armchair with me, dressed in a very similar thawb standing behind him, my hand on his shoulder, his own hand over mine. It reminds me of Victorian photographs of married couples. The only difference, other than our clothes, is our broad grins.

Ned had been bursting with infectious laughter throughout the photo-shoot. Mr Coster captured that laughter in a different picture, one that we chose not to publish. It's for us and the family.

Who are currently squealing over it through Skype, much to Ned's amusement.

Rania's already demanding a copy of that picture to put on her mantelpiece. 

"I'll see if I can get you one." Ned laughs. "And one for you too, Ali. I'm going now. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night."

**Author's Note:**

> The outfit Ned's wearing in his engagement photo is an outfit worn by Robert Pattinson in Queen of the Desert.


End file.
